Bridgeport staffer hosts massive birthday party he says drew police
TRUMBULL — A wellknown Bridgeport city employee and property owner is under scrutiny for hosting a massive party at his Trumbull home over the weekend that he confirmed drew local police.
Daniel Pizarro, who currently works for Bridgeport’s housing code office, said Sunday afternoon that he celebrated his 48th birthday the night before with a 300-plus bash at his Huntington Turnpike home.
“The cops came and we was very respectful,” Pizarro said by phone. “They just wanted us to minimize the crowd, which we did . ... I had to turn off the lights, tell people they had to leave the party. It was almost 1 in the morning anyways. They already had a good time.”
Footage of the party posted on Pizarro’s Instagram account on social media shows a packed, mask-less crowd drinking and dancing in his home, Pizarro included.
Health experts and elected officials have for months during the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged people to wear masks and remain six-feet apart when in close proximity with others both in public and in private to stop the illness’ spread. And Gov. Ned Lamont has also issued an executive order limiting private indoor and outdoor gatherings to 10 people as part of his COVID-19 health and safety recommendations.
Pizarro said he also had a large tent at his event.
He said he thought Lamont’s COVID orders only applied to “restaurants and stuff like that, not residential.”
While businesses face a $10,000 state fine for violating coronavirus health/ safety rules, according to an executive order Lamont issued Sept. 15, private hosts could be charged $500 with guests
penalized $250.
Max Reiss, the governor’s communications director, did not wish to comment Sunday on the Pizarro case, but said: “Even though vaccines are starting to roll out, we’re continuing to see significant community (virus) spread all over the state and it’s incumbent upon everyone to keep wearing masks, keep washing their hands, keep their distance, and limit attending large gatherings.”
Spokespeople from the Trumbull Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Public Health could not be immediately reached for comment.
“If there’s a fine, I’ll pay a fine,” Pizarro said. “I got the money.”
As previously reported, Pizarro has been buying up some downtown Bridgeport properties and owns around 30 mostly multifamily homes in the city with a total appraised value of $5.78 million.
He also earns $81,000 annually as a non-union, politically appointed project coordinator with the city’s housing code office. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim hired Pizarro in 2016 after the latter campaigned for him in 2015. At one time the two were very close, with Pizarro often seen in public with Ganim.
Pizarro said he and Ganim are still friendly but that the latter did not attend Saturday’s birthday party.
Asked if he was at all concerned about being exposed to or exposing others to coronavirus at his party, Pizarro said no.
“I’m not worrying about it,” Pizarro said. “Those that came, everybody knows COVID exists. (That) there’s a pandemic . ... But they choose to come and not worry about that. Me, myself, frankly I’m not worried.”
But City Hall is. Rowena White, Ganim’s communications director, in an email said: “It has come to the attention of city officials that a couple of employees were involved in a private gathering that took place in a neighboring town over the weekend. Any employee at this event must quarantine for (an) appropriate time and test negative for COVID-19 prior to returning to work in order to protect the welfare of other staff members.
In November the city reduced the amount of personnel working in municipal buildings because of a spike in coronavirus infections among staff.
At that time Janene Hawkins, Ganim’s chief administrative officer, in a memorandum scolded workers for not taking enough personal responsibility during the pandemic. She wrote that “generally these employees that are testing positive are contracting COVID outside the workplace and have jeopardized the safety and well-being of the entire workforce.”
“We are all in this together and, simply put, our lives are depending on each of us to do our part to ensure the safety of everyone,” Hawkins had concluded.
During his interview earlier Sunday, Pizarro said, “If Janene requests for me to stay home or not work for two weeks, I don’t have a problem with that. I’ll comply.”